


Hurt

by xanderdaqueer



Series: Fantastic Angst and Fluff and Where to Find Them [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, M/M, Manipulation, Spoilers, sad stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 07:11:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14539389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xanderdaqueer/pseuds/xanderdaqueer
Summary: Credence's inner turmoil throughout the conflicts with Mister Graves and Ma.(Essentially what happened in the movie but made slightly gayer and more angsty)





	Hurt

       The shame I felt as my Ma's disappointed gaze pierced me was enough to get me to start shaking. I'd come home late again. I'd been with Mister Graves, the only person who seemed to care about me. He'd hug me, tell me I was a good boy, so strong, he'd heal me and gently wipe away my seemingly unending tears. The punishment I'd get from my Ma was bearable if Mister Graves cared for me.  
        She stood up from her seat on the stairs.  
        "Where have you been, Credence?" she asked, her tone emotionless, a smile at her lips but not in her eyes. "I was worried about you. There are witches out there, Credence. Bad witches. You might get hurt."  
        "I know, I'm sorry..." I murmured, hearing the clack of her shoes and staring at them intently as they stopped before me. 'I'm sorry.' The two words that I said most frequently. The two words that slipped out of my mouth even when I hadn't done anything wrong. "I was out," I concluded.  
        "Out?" she repeated. That one word. 'Out.' That was my response every time I got home late. She clicked her tongue, her smile falling a little. "You know you're meant to be home far before now. I think you need another reminder, yes?"  
        Despite my wishes, my vision started to get blurry with tears and I nodded quietly.  
        She patted my shoulder, and I flinched. "It's for the better good." She stepped away and started up the stairs. I wordlessly followed, but a small whimper caused me to pause. I looked back, giving a reassuring smile to Modesty, whose lip was trembling. I started back up the stairs. Modesty was the only reason I kept coming back. If I were gone, Ma would probably take out the punishments on her or Chastity instead of me.  
        I got to my room. Ma was waiting for me in the doorway, gently pushing me in and not bothering to close the door behind her. This let the others hear my cries and sobs as a warning to not disobey and to follow the rules, to be good children, unlike me. I was useless, I was trash. I was worthless, I was ugly. I was alone. Nobody cared. Nobody except, maybe, Mister Graves. He had to care. Why would he bother healing and hugging and comforting me if he didn't?  
        Ma held out her open hands, waiting for me to remove my belt and hand it to her so she could beat me with it.  
        With shaking hands, I undid the belt and handed it to her. Then my trembling hands reached up to my button-down shirt and slowly undid the buttons.  
        "Hurry up, we haven't got all day," she snapped, running her fingers over the belt.  
        I bit back any retort, holding it in, bottling it all up inside. I then pushed my shirt off my shoulders and folded it up before placing it gently on my bed stand. I was trying to drag this out as much as possible, trying to avoid the pain I knew would come. If only Mister Graves could come and do that teleporting thing - apparating, was it? - and take me away, to where I'd be safe.  
        I kneeled down, holding out my hands with my palms up.  
        Soon, I told myself. Soon Mister Graves would never let Ma or anyone else hurt me again. Soon I'd be safe from the loneliness and the pain.  
        The crack of the belt was heard before felt and my palms stung instantly like fire, my eyes squeezed shut as I let out a gasp of pain, my body jolting with the want to run, to hide, to fight back... anything. My belt came down on my palms again. I was shaking. It hurt. I soon lost count of the times she beat my hands.  
        No other lash came, and I heard the jingling of my belt as Ma held it so the metal buckle end would hit me.  
        "Turn around," she demanded.  
        I wordlessly obeyed, ugly sobs causing me to shake even more as I waited for more beating.  
        "Remember, this is for your own good. I'm helping you."  
        Her words and actions clashed, the two not quite matching up.  
        I choked out a louder sob as I buried my face into the edge of my mattress, my back throbbing as she hit me. My bloody hands clenched the sheets, staining them red with pain and bad memories. The sound of my ugly, helpless cried made me feel sick. It reminded me of how alone I was. Though her strikes only got harder and my sobs louder, I endured it. I had to.  
          .  .  .          .  .  .          .  .  .        .  .  .     The next day      .  .  .           .  .  .             .  .  .           .  .  .             
        I sat in the corner of the alleyway, crying quietly and shaking. I heard the telltale crack I'd been waiting for and listened as his footsteps approached me.  
        "Credence," I heard. "She did it again, didn't she?"  
        I nodded, trembling as he gently lifted my chin with his hand, his thumb wiping away a tear.  
        "How bad?"  
        I shook my head. "I'm fine," I muttered. I wanted to be strong.  
        I yelped as his hand left my chin, going instead to my clenched fist. I crumbled beneath his gentle gaze and allowed him to open up my hand.  
        Taking out his wand, he healed all the cuts. I panicked as he reached for the buttons of my shirt, my breath speeding up quickly.  
        "Shhh, shh..." he murmured, his eyes soft.  
        I shook, letting him remove my shirt. His hands went to my back, and my breath caught in my throat as he ran his fingers over the scabs and bruises, almost seeming to enjoy the reminders of my pain, before healing them.  
        He stepped back, letting me reach for my shirt and cover myself.  
        "Have you found the child?"  
        His voice was sharper. I started shaking again, a bit frightened.  
        "N-No," I responded shakily.  
        As I looked up, his eyes seemed to express annoyance and impatience, with a spark of... was that hatred?  
        I shook more. "I'm s-sorry," I managed to breath out.  
        As quickly as his gaze got sharper and almost hateful, it switched back to care and gentleness.  
        "You have nothing to be sorry for, Credence. Just keep searching. Find the child, and you'll be safe. I won't let anyone hurt you again."  
        Despite his words, I felt tears pricking at my eyes again. What if Mister Graves didn't want me anymore? What if he abandoned me because I hadn't found what he was looking for?  
        I felt a hand on my still bare shoulder and flinched, my gaze jerking up to meet his. He'd clasped a necklace around my neck. It had a little, odd charm on it.  
        "Touch this when you've found the child, and I'll come to you," he murmured, his lips brushing my ear and causing me to shudder, my fears dissipating.  
        He stepped back and I nodded softly.  
        "Find the child," he repeated one last time. And with a loud crack he disappeared, leaving me alone once again.  
          .  .  .          .  .  .          .  .  .          .  .  .     About a week later   .  .  .          .  .  .          .  .  .           .  .  .          .  .  .  
        My chest burned as I heaved for breaths between my gasping sobs. I was curled up against the wall of my, now dead, Ma's crumbling home. My fingers brushed the charm Mister Graves had given me. Within a moment he was beside me, kneeling down to be at my level.  
        "Where's the child?" he prompted, overlooking my situation.  
        "Help me, h-help..." I choked out. "Please..."  
        "Shh..." he let his eyes soften slightly. But it didn't help.  
        "Save me... please, help..." I rambled, rocking back and forth.  
        A sharp pain across my cheek caused me to gasp and look up at him. He had slapped me. But... he'd promised never to hurt me...  
        "Your sister is in grave danger. Tell me where she is."  
        He thought it was my sister. I pointed upstairs, my body trembling. I heaved myself up, stumbling after him as he briskly stood and strode towards the stairs, questions slipping from my lips before I could help it.  
        There wasn't too much to remember after that. He'd betrayed me. He'd lied to me. I'd thought he'd been my friend. I hated him, but mostly I hated myself for letting my loneliness and vulnerability and hurt allow me to trust this man.  
        Helpless to the darkness creeping over me, I let it take over despite his pleas to reason with me, to apologize.

        All I knew, all I felt, was hurt.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Check out my Tumblr @xanderdaqueer to talk to me! I also have an art Instagram :) Ask me on Tumblr if interested!


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